


Missed Chances

by citrinesunset



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Community: writerinadrawer, WriterInADrawer 4.05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-09
Updated: 2010-07-09
Packaged: 2017-10-10 11:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/99203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrinesunset/pseuds/citrinesunset
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen receives a strange phone call.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missed Chances

The phone rang while Gwen was changing the baby. Her hands full of dirty nappy, she called out, "Rhys, could you get that?"

"I'm stirring the gravy!" he yelled from the kitchen. But a moment later, the ringing stopped and she heard him say hello.

Rhys was still on the phone when she joined him in the kitchen. He kept answering "Yes" or "No." Gwen washed her hands and stirred the simmering gravy.

"Hey," Rhys said, his voice agitated, "what kind of survey did you say this was? If you're so interested in my wife, why don't you talk to her?"

Gwen felt a now-familiar chill. Without hesitation, she grabbed the phone from Rhys. He started to protest, but she ignored him, walking away with the cordless phone.

"Hello? Who is this?"

There was a pause. Then, a woman with a London accent said, "I'm conducting a survey. I apologize for disturbing--"

"Who the hell are you?" Gwen knew a fake accent when she heard one, and the voice was familiar.

Then she remembered.

"Shit." Gwen lowered her voice so Rhys couldn't overhear. "You're me, aren't you?"

The other Gwen said, "I'm so sorry. I don't mean any harm, I swear."

"You're calling yourself from the past! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"I just thought--what could happen?" Sheepishly, she added, "I just wanted to see if I'm happy. Am I?"

Gwen remembered making this call. It was her second week at Torchwood when they'd found the phone. Jack had warned them all. Timelines shouldn't be messed with. But she hadn't really understood.

She'd seen the others look at it a moment too long, but hadn't thought about it. Who would they have called? What might they have changed if they'd gotten the chance to send a warning into the past?

It was funny. If someone had asked her then what she'd change, she would have smiled and said, "Nothing." Maybe she'd have said, "Everything happens for a reason."

When she'd found the phone unguarded on Jack's desk, she'd only wanted to call the future and relieve doubts that weren't really there. Like someone who had never had reason to doubt it, deep down she'd already assumed everything would work out.

Now it was different. But the things she would change were things she'd never known to ask about. Gwen bit her lip, and wondered. With the right advice, she could change things. Prevent disasters. Deaths. Would that be so bad?

Finally, she replied. "Yeah, of course. I'm fine, Rhys is fine. Now get off, before Jack finds you."

Gwen hung up before her past self could reply.

The night she'd made the call, Jack dismantled the phone. She'd watched him and asked, "Is that really necessary?"

"Messing with time is dangerous business," Jack had said. "Most people aren't responsible. And if UNIT got their paws on this baby...hoo boy."

She'd listened. Now, she wondered if she just missed an opportunity.


End file.
